Wagering game machines, such as slot machines, video poker machines and the like, have been a cornerstone of the gaming industry for several years. Generally, the popularity of such machines depends on the likelihood (or perceived likelihood) of winning money at the machine and the intrinsic entertainment value of the machine relative to other available gaming options. Where the available gaming options include a number of competing wagering game machines and the expectation of winning at each machine is roughly the same (or believed to be the same), players are likely to be attracted to the most entertaining and exciting machines. Shrewd operators consequently strive to employ the most entertaining and exciting machines, features, and enhancements available because such machines attract frequent play and hence increase profitability to the operator. Therefore, there is a continuing need for wagering game machine manufacturers to continuously develop new games and gaming enhancements that will attract frequent play.
Many wagering games utilize symbols to present game play, outcomes, and the like. For example, slot games present symbols on slot reels. A player makes a wager and initiates a spin operation of the slot reels. The slot reels appear to spin independently during the spinning operations and, eventually, stop in specific reel-stop positions. The wagering game can generate a random number, in response to the initiation of the spin operation. Based on the random number, the wagering game selects specific reel-stop position for each of the reels. When the reels stop, their specific reel-stop positions will cause the symbols on the reels to be arranged in specific symbol configurations, which are presented on at least a portion of the slot reels visible to the player. Some of the specific symbol configurations appear in one or more paylines. The paylines are specific groupings of some of the symbols that appear on the reels, which groupings are eligible for a particular payout in the wagering game. If a symbol configuration that appears in one or more paylines matches a particular configuration indicated in a pay table, then the symbol configuration represents a winning outcome for the wagering game. The reward for the winning outcome is based on odds indicated in the pay table for the symbol configuration, an amount wagered in the wagering game, or other factors. The symbols of a wagering game, therefore, are critical to presentation of wagering game play and outcomes. Furthermore, the characteristics of the symbols, such as the imagery, animations, etc., are visibly prominent to the player and, thus, are important visual elements of wagering games that add to the excitement and fun of wagering games.